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President Ramaphosa says ‘much more needs to be done’ to ensure human rights for all

21 March 2023, 6:30 PM |

Ntebo Mokobo | @SABCNews

President Cyril Ramaphosa

Image: GCIS

President Cyril Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africa cannot claim to be a country that respects human rights if it cannot ensure that all South Africans have access to land, housing, food, water, health care and education.

He was speaking at the commemoration of Human Rights Day in the town of De Aar, Northern Cape, on Tuesday.

The day marks 63 years since the killing of 69 people by apartheid police in Sharpeville during an anti-pass march. Late Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) leader Robert Sokubwe led the protests.

There can be no doubt that we have achieved much in securing the rights of all South Africans. But we know from daily experience that we need to do much more.https://t.co/lNa6sSW6oe

— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) March 21, 2023

The 2023 Human Rights Day was commemorated under the theme: Consolidating and Sustaining Human Rights Culture in the Future.

President Ramaphosa explains, “We cannot claim to be a country that respects human rights if we do not do everything in our power and within our resources to ensure that all South Africans have access to land, housing, food, water, health care and education. We cannot claim to respect human rights if we do not do everything we can to ensure all people have access to work and economic opportunity, and to live lives that are comfortable, safe and secure. There can be no doubt that we have achieved much in securing the rights of all South Africans. But we know from daily experience that we need to do much more.”

Human Rights Day 2023 | President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers keynote address at De Aar

Socio-economic conditions

Various political parties have lamented the current socio-economic conditions that bedevil South Africa as an infringement of the rights of citizens.

The PAC, AZAPO, ActionSA and BOSA gathered in Sharpeville in Vereeniging, in the Vaal, to commemorate Human Rights Day, but say there is little to celebrate for South Africans.

The parties decried the crime, unemployement and living conditions of many in the country.

Azanian People’s Organisation (AZAPO) leader, Nelvis Qekema, has likened what he says is Government’s heavy handed approach to protests to the apartheid regime.

Qekema says the deployment of SANDF soldiers during Monday’s national shutdown could have resulted in death similar to the Sharpeville Massacre.

ActionSA leader, Herman Mashaba has made a call to voters to remove the ANC from power in the general elections next year. Mashaba lamented the current socio-economic plight of many South Africans.

The ActionSA leader says the country cannot celebrate Human Rights Day, while millions of South Africans remain unemployed and while rampant crime continues to bedevil the country.

Deputy leader of Build One South Africa (BOSA), Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster, has called on young South Africans to take up the baton from the country’s struggle heroes and continue fighting for their rights. Hlazo-Webster says the violation of the rights of South Africans is an indictment on the democratic government — but is also a call to continue fighting for a better life for all. -Additional reporting by Zoleka Qodashe